The hottest Corruption Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top U.S. Politics Topics

Qatar-Gate

Diane Francis • 399 implied HN points • 15 Dec 22
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Qatar spent a lot of money, about $200 billion, to host the World Cup, but it is also facing serious allegations of corruption and human rights violations. This has made them look bad despite their efforts to gain global attention.
  2. The Emir of Qatar runs a wealthy nation that has significant influence because of its natural gas and oil reserves. However, it operates more like a dictatorship without democracy or a free press.
  3. Recent scandals involving FIFA and the European Parliament have raised questions about Qatar's practices in lobbying and bribery. This is affecting their international reputation and causing investigations into their financial dealings.

Exposing the Fraudsters

The Radar • 39 implied HN points • 23 Apr 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Fraud has historically preceded major meltdowns, causing social unrest, economic collapses, and political instability.
  2. Fraud is widespread in everyday life, not just as criminal acts but in various forms of intentional misrepresentation.
  3. Dishonesty and fraud, both large and small, have become normalized in society, but individuals have the power to shift towards honesty and transparency to curb fraudulent behavior.

How the Grinch Stole the 2024 Election

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 11 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. A technical theory argues election results could have been manipulated by creating fake "phantom" jurisdictions and using man‑in‑the‑middle techniques to inject and quietly redistribute fabricated votes, with odd raw data glitches offered as possible evidence.
  2. Experts and records show voting software and systems have been copied or breached and warned about, while voting vendors are concentrated under private ownership, which raises big systemic security concerns.
  3. Political tactics like DARVO — deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender — plus aggressive rhetoric were used to confuse the public and discredit scrutiny, making independent investigation and accountability much harder.

Anthony Fauci Defended NIH Culture Of Secrecy: The $325M Third-Party Royalty Complex... Now We Know More Details.

OpenTheBooks Substack • 779 implied HN points • 09 Aug 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Anthony Fauci defended NIH culture of secrecy regarding third-party royalty payments.
  2. Chinese and Russian companies paid NIH for licensing technologies developed with U.S. taxpayer money.
  3. Companies like Purdue Pharma paid royalties to NIH scientists, raising questions about conflicts of interest.

When shared dreams are built on nightmares

BowTiedMara - Geoarbitrage & Mobility Assets • 137 implied HN points • 19 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. The Schoklender case involves a parricide in Argentina that led to a corruption case of epic proportions under the guise of human rights and social housing.
  2. The brothers involved in the Schoklender case were convicted for brutally assassinating their parents, triggering a series of events including their escape and eventual arrest.
  3. Despite serving time in jail, one of the brothers involved in the Schoklender case became a self-taught lawyer and later got involved in a major corruption scandal in Argentina.
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Chinese Control Over U.S. Oil And Gas At Heart Of Biden Family Influence Peddling, New Whistleblower Reveals

Public • 464 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Recent whistleblower testimony reveals investors from China, Mexico, and Kazakhstan buying political influence with President Joe Biden through his family, centering on control over U.S. oil and gas.
  2. Republicans are facing challenges in their impeachment probe of President Biden, with reliance on questionable witnesses such as incarcerated individuals like Jason Galanis and Alexander Smirnov, who have provided inconsistent information.
  3. Hunter Biden's involvement in business dealings with Chinese companies, linked to his family connections, has raised concerns about influence peddling and the use of his family name for financial gain.

Where's Dwayne Jones?

Gotham by Susan Dyer Reynolds • 117 implied HN points • 03 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Dwayne Jones has been notably absent from the corruption trial of former SFPUC boss Harlan Kelly due to his involvement in Community Benefits programs.
  2. Jones has a history of questionable actions, including involvement in bid rigging scandals, connections to multiple mayors, and receiving millions in contracts.
  3. Despite scrutiny and controversies, Jones continues to receive lucrative contracts from agencies like SFPUC and the San Francisco Port Commission.

To tackle corruption, start with monopoly power

The Counterbalance • 117 implied HN points • 17 May 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Corruption is the abuse of power for selfish gain, whether in public or private sectors.
  2. Monopoly power can lead to corruption as dominant firms have more ability and incentive to engage in corrupt activities.
  3. Addressing monopoly power through antitrust regulations can be a powerful tool in tackling corruption and other economic problems.

A Profit-Seeking Government?

In My Tribe • 425 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Government can be categorized into Limited-Access (L) and Open-Access (O) Orders based on who is allowed to form significant organizations.
  2. In Limited-Access Orders (L), the ruling coalition can extract resources and form organizations, while in Open-Access Orders (O), citizens have the right to form political parties and corporations independently.
  3. Profit-seeking government tends to align with one-party government and can lead to corruption and favoritism, making a competitive, open-access order preferable.

Enovix - You've Been Scammed? Maybe (part 2)

ESG Hound • 692 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
💼 Business Corruption
  1. The deal between Enovix and YBS seems questionable and based on a non-binding Letter of Intent.
  2. Enovix is a pre-revenue company trading at a high valuation, with plans for a new factory and potential Malaysian involvement.
  3. There are red flags surrounding YBS International, including resignations of corporate secretaries and changes in bank ownership.

Labour needs to make the selfish case for foreign aid

Odds and Ends of History • 670 implied HN points • 04 Jul 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Labour should make the selfish case for foreign aid to appeal to people's self-interest and make it more politically viable.
  2. Talking about foreign aid in terms of soft power and global stability can help reframe its purpose and importance.
  3. Addressing corruption in foreign aid should focus on improving practices rather than using it as an argument against aid altogether.

President/Puppet

Daniel Pinchbeck’s Newsletter • 13 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Trump has deep financial and political ties to Russian interests, with decades of money and contacts suggesting he has functioned as a Kremlin asset.
  2. Many of his policies—including a Ukraine “peace plan”—align with Moscow’s goals, weakening Ukraine and U.S. alliances while strengthening Russia’s strategic position.
  3. Those policy choices and rollbacks of health, environmental, and democratic safeguards erode American institutions and global stability, so urgent public accountability and protest are called for.

Judicial coup in Argentina: Corrupt judges conspire with media oligarchs to ban Cristina Kirchner from office

Geopolitical Economy Report • 159 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Argentina's former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was banned from office after being sentenced to prison, leading to accusations of a judicial coup by corrupt judges and media oligarchs.
  2. Leaked messages revealed a conspiracy involving corrupt Argentine prosecutors, right-wing opposition politicians, conservative media corporations, and former intelligence officers colluding against Kirchner.
  3. The $44 billion debt Argentina owes to the International Monetary Fund was highlighted as a mechanism of control and dependency on economic and political policies, impacting the country's economic situation and political landscape.

Medicine is becoming more corrupt

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 184 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Corruption
  1. Medicine is being influenced by money from pharmaceutical companies, which can lead to biased practices. This means that decisions in healthcare might prioritize profit over patient care.
  2. Big donations to universities can result in naming rights and influence, creating a potential conflict of interest. This raises questions about the integrity and independence of academic institutions.
  3. There's a concern that this trend towards corruption could compromise the quality of medical research and education. Without accountability, the focus might shift away from ethical standards and patient welfare.

How to Fix America in One Week

PashaNomics • 2 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. The United States functions more as a state-driven economy than a pure market one, with large flows of taxpayer money ending up with “state oligarchs” who effectively own and profit from the system.
  2. Money is used to fund propaganda that hides that ownership and justifies continued spending, using narratives that either ignore the state’s role or worship it as necessary.
  3. The first step to fixing this is clear shared understanding: collect data, track money and propaganda, and negotiate realistic deals or reforms to interrupt the regressive feedback loop instead of just chasing fraud.

Release: Patron Papers (500 MB)

Distributed Email of Secrets • 455 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. The release includes reports on corruption involving former president of Paraguay, Horacio Cartes and current president Santiago Peña.
  2. The leaked documents from Paraguay's financial intelligence unit led to the United States cutting off information sharing with Seprelad.
  3. Journalists in Paraguay faced intimidation and legal action for reporting on the leaked Seprelad documents.

Democrats Should Make Trump Pay for Selling Pardons

I Might Be Wrong • 9 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Trump appears to be using the pardon power to protect allies and likely enrich himself, creating a plausible quid pro quo narrative voters dislike.
  2. Democrats have an easy political opening to run tough-on-corruption, populist messaging about a "pardon pipeline" and could turn it into a potent attack ad theme.
  3. Political obstacles exist: Biden’s own controversial pardon invites immediate "what abouts," and many progressives support pardons on criminal-justice grounds, which makes unified Democratic messaging harder.

How Nigeria Elected a Criminal as Its President: Part I

Aaron Greenspan • 369 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Bola Tinubu, the President of Nigeria, has a controversial past involving money laundering and drug trafficking in the US.
  2. Despite his controversies, Tinubu's questionable history did not prevent him from becoming the President of Nigeria.
  3. Attempts to uncover more information about Tinubu's past through FOIA requests and lawsuits faced challenges and government denial.

🔅 Ivory Coast's Lêkê Revolution & Madagascar's Gemstone Scandal

baobabnewsletter • 39 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Ivory Coast's popular lêkê sandals are more than just footwear, they're a fashion statement and a symbol of national pride.
  2. Madagascar's former chief of staff attempted to leverage influence for personal gain in a gemstone scandal involving a bribe offer.
  3. Zambia is venturing into direct copper trading to maximize economic benefits, joining other African countries in taking control of their mineral resources.

Rebuilding Ukraine – Hopes and Fears

Natto Thoughts • 79 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Ukraine faces a massive task of rebuilding post-war, with estimates ranging from $349 billion to $1 trillion, involving extensive economic, social, and political challenges.
  2. The role of civil society in Ukraine's recovery is crucial, with innovative initiatives like solar power projects and sustainable reconstruction efforts playing a significant part in the country's rebuilding process.
  3. To tackle corruption in Ukraine, anti-corruption reforms are essential to build investor confidence while ensuring funds are used effectively and sparking progress towards a more transparent and accountable future.

GLOBAL EYES

The Cosmopolitan Globalist • 9 implied HN points • 29 Nov 25
🌍 World Politics Corruption
  1. Steve Witkoff built his career around decades of Russian money and opaque real-estate deals that were tied to post-Soviet capital and criminal pipelines.
  2. Now acting as a special envoy, he is promoting a "peace plan" that closely mirrors Kremlin demands and appears aimed at reviving business ties and enriching those involved.
  3. Having U.S. policy shaped by people whose careers were forged inside the industry Russia used to project influence raises serious conflicts-of-interest and foreign-influence concerns.

Golden Age of Graft

The Last Bear Standing • 49 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Money gives people power, and being close to the powerful can be very valuable. This has always been true, but it's especially obvious now.
  2. The current political climate is very open about how businesses and politics work together. It's not about hiding deals anymore; it's all out in the open.
  3. Some companies are thriving because they are linked to political figures. They appear to be benefiting from this special access and influence.

President Soprano

Diane Francis • 599 implied HN points • 05 Jul 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. There are serious charges against Trump and his company, which could lead to jail time for some involved. This has likely caused panic among his family and associates.
  2. The CFO has been accused of significant tax fraud, and there are hints that other Trump executives might testify against him. This could reveal more about Trump's possible illegal actions.
  3. Past associates like Michael Cohen and Mary Trump have shared information with prosecutors. They believe the investigation could uncover even more wrongdoing in Trump's dealings.

There Are No Drug Cartels!

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 30 implied HN points • 09 Aug 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Some believe that drug cartels don't really exist; instead, they think the CIA controls drug trafficking through various middlemen. This suggests a hidden government involvement in the drug trade.
  2. There are claims that famous figures and events related to drug trade are misrepresented in Hollywood movies. This makes people question the truth behind what they see in film and television.
  3. The opioid crisis and rising deaths due to drugs like Fentanyl are linked to government actions and decisions. These claims highlight concerns about accountability in the health and drug policies.

How Congress Can Investigate the Pandemic Origins Cover-up

The DisInformation Chronicle • 535 implied HN points • 14 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Researchers and the National Institutes of Health gamed the science - follow the documents, follow the money.
  2. Congress should demand that the NIH release documents hidden from reporters and investigate criminal misuse by virologists at USAID.
  3. Congress also needs to demand documents and financial records from university virologists funded by the NIH to get to the bottom of the pandemic's origins.

Vlad the Bad

Diane Francis • 679 implied HN points • 22 Mar 21
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Vladimir Putin is seen as incredibly powerful and wealthy, controlling vast resources in Russia while keeping the country impoverished. Most Russians live on very little despite the country's riches.
  2. Putin's regime is characterized by harsh control, eliminating political opponents and using propaganda. His foreign policy aims to weaken Western institutions and expand Russian influence.
  3. The relationship between the U.S. and Putin is tense, especially after recent comments from President Biden calling Putin a 'killer.' There are expectations for serious consequences, but Putin is unlikely to back down easily.

Trump had nothing to do with lowering the price of gas at the pump.

C.O.P. Central Organizing Principle. • 6 implied HN points • 13 Dec 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Falling pump prices are blamed on global oil oversupply from big producers and collapsing demand during a recession, not mainly on one politician's actions.
  2. Political and corporate elites are accused of manipulating energy markets, using war and insider trading to drive prices up, and pushing policies like fracking and tariffs that enrich insiders while hurting ordinary people.
  3. There are broad allegations of deep corruption, sex trafficking, and cover-ups among powerful figures, and the claim is that a corporate‑military state now dominates politics and undermines democracy.

New Cell Phone Records Prove DA Willis Affair

The Reactionary • 256 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Cell phone records indicate a romantic relationship between DA Willis and Nathan Wade started before Wade's official appointment as Special Prosecutor.
  2. Analysis of the records show over 2000 voice calls and nearly 12,000 text messages exchanged between DA Willis and Wade within a specific timeline.
  3. Late-night visits and extensive communications suggest more than just a friendship, potentially leading to disqualification and criminal charges for perjury or false statements.

Fulton County DA Fani Willis: Her Affair with the Special Prosecutor

The Reactionary • 259 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Fulton County DA Fani Willis is alleged to have an ongoing affair with her subordinate, the Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade.
  2. The relationship raises concerns about ethical violations in the legal profession and potential conflicts of interest in the prosecution.
  3. Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade submitted false billing records, which could lead to felony charges.

Apple Corporate Crime Update

Big Tech Politics • 58 implied HN points • 09 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. Ashley Gjøvik filed a RICO Act lawsuit against Apple with claims of whistleblower retaliation and environmental complaints.
  2. Apple's Chief Compliance Officer, Tom Moyer, was re-indicted for criminal bribery involving permits and political donations.
  3. Apple's corporate secretaries, Nancy Heinen and Gene Levoff, faced charges of fraud and insider trading violations.

The Durham Report

The Reactionary • 380 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Corruption
  1. The Durham Report reveals FBI misconduct in investigating Trump-Russia collusion narrative.
  2. Crossfire Hurricane investigation was initiated without proper vetting and contained derogatory remarks by FBI staff.
  3. The FBI showed bias in handling investigations related to Hillary Clinton and Trump campaigns.